Locking Articulating Arm

[p4photo]

Hi I am new the the forum and want to find out if anyone would know how I would go about building one of these. http://www.filmtools.com/heduisarm.html
I am guesing that I would need to create a socket that the ball on each end would fit into.

[Divided he ad]

Hi p4' Welcome,

I have an article in a book somewhere on my shelf that shows a joint similar to that one... I'll dig it out tomorrow (sorry too late now 4am!)


Please go introduce yourself     Oh and.....   



Ralph.

[Brass_Machine]

I have some ideas on how to do a joint that would be similar. Let me see if I can draw them up for you.

Eric

[HS93]

The Joint looks like a Mini bottom ball joint,

peter

[bogstandard]

Do you really want to go thru the hassle to make one of these supposedly hydraulic arms, when they can be purchased a lot cheaper than what is shown in your ad.

If you look at the bottom one on here, I think you will find it is almost an exact match, just make the holding and mounting to match. I have the top one and it is great. Position the head where you want it, tweak the middle knob and everything just tightens up.

http://rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/__MAGNETIC_BASES.html

You will have to locate one in your part of the world, but just look around model engineering suppliers.

This is a perfect case of specialist rip off, paint it a different colour, call it another name, and charge what you want for it.

John

[bogstandard]

If you are into eblay, here are a few more, just search for magnetic bases.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-HYDRAULIC-MAGNETIC-BASE-FOR-DIAL-TEST-INDICATOR-D12_W0QQitemZ110325330059QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM?hash=item110325330059&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1298%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hydraulic-Universal-Magnetic-Base-Holder_W0QQitemZ360056286526QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Welding_Metalworking_Supplies_ET?hash=item360056286526&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1298%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Central-Locking-Arm-Magnetic-Base-Stand_W0QQitemZ7593182869QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Welding_Metalworking_Supplies_ET?hash=item7593182869&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1298%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

The first one is a mini version, so you have a choice.

Sorry, no discounts on any of these, just realistic prices.


John

[p4photo]

Thank You all for the input!  The pricing on the arms that all of you posted is a lot less than the ones that I was looking at. I think I may like to challenge myself with building one of these. Please keep the ideas, diagrams and articles coming. If this is a mini bottom ball joint, do I need to create a cup that the ball sits in? How would I create the inside of the cup?

You asked me to introduce myself. I am a professional photographer in Minneapolis, MN. As with all photographers I am a gadget hound. I am just learning metal working. I have an older 6" Atlas/Craftsman lathe that I am learning to use so I may be asking a lot of questions on how to build different things. I don't have a mill which may make this project a little more difficult. I may end up making a milling attachment to fit the lathe.

[bogstandard]

If you want to go ahead and produce one yourself, then good on you. It will serve as a good learning curve for your machining.

If you want to make all of it, you will most probably have to make up a couple of bits of tooling for yourself.

One is a ball turner, and that is Ralph's speciality (but you could get away with drilling and tapping ball bearings, not as difficult as it sounds).

The other would be a round nose cutter, either a milling type, or like I would do it, a d-bit, but that would require a ball turner to make.

For a manual lock version, I have done a quickie cross sectional drawing

John

BTW, I understand about professional photography, I pursued it for about 4 years in the early 80's after redundancy, using the Mamiya 6x4.5 and RB67. My finances couldn't run as far as a Hasselblad. But I did use a 5x4 Toyo plate camera for a while. But the call of engineering took me away from it, plus a not nice partner.

[Divided he ad]

Here goes nothing P4.... Now these are from a book I purchased called ' the best of projects in metal' I'm sure I could get my knuckles slammed in a door for this so you'd better right click and save the pictures quick!!

Hope the compex plans do not put you off... You could just use the bits you need? 

I'll probably remove them in a week or so... Just in case!!

[edit] all pic's now evapourated!! well removed anywho! 

I'll list the book # etc instead........   METALWORKING, Book three [the best of projects in metal] author - Joe.D.Rice    ISBN - 941653-55-2




Hope they help you out? .... Remember build pictures are a requirement... Else how can we encourage you and help you out!?!?   


Ralph.

[Bernd]

p4photo,

Welcome to MadModder. I think you'll like this little part of the interweb.

Any project you post about here will get over engineered by us. That's just the way we are. 

Will give hundereds of ways to doing things. Just pic one that suits you. And ask lots of questions we're here to help. If not today then tomorrow.

If Ralph takes down the pictures before you get them copied let me know I have both the book and magazine article. I'll make some copies and send them to you.

The biggest thing not to forget is .

Regards,
Bernd

[p4photo]

Thanks Ralph!! I appreciate all the help and the article! Bernd I will keep everyone posted will pics as I get into the process of building this.